Starting Here - a self evaluation

The trouble with evaluating yourself is that you truly have only yourself to compare to. However, I have a lot of previous years of myself to do that with.

Part 1 - Interests
A. What they are presently

I've spent most of my time since the fire on fixing up the house. So much so that it's begun to feel like that is my only natural creative outlet. This incorporates:

Woodworking: shelf and wall building
Flooring: rubber floor tiles, ceramic bathroom tiles
Walls: insulation, wallboard, plaster, paint, wallpaper
Windows: porch, attic
Plumbing: starting-from-scratch on three bathrooms
Wiring: new fixtures and outlets around the house

Lately, it's come down more to organizing - books, papers, finances, clothes, souveniers, LotR stuff, crafts, etc.

For relaxation, I'm watching too much TV, spending time on internet blogging, and playing computer games (Spider, Free Cell, and Civilization).

And I've done the Toronto Sci-Fi Expo for 4 years. *That* will continue!

But for the most part, I really need to be able to move on.


B. What they should be

Reading and writing, primarily.
Paper-type art: drawing and painting.
Eggury: It's been so long since I did this that I'm not even sure whether I want to.
Tarot Cards: If I don't complete this project, I will never forgive myself.
Cons: A little bit. I have to be careful not to commit to too many of them.

What it takes to get from A to B:

Stop wasting so much time on games! Enough with the Civ!

Finish the damn house, a'ready! Or at least get it far enough that it isn't 'in the way' of getting other things done. This means:

Create a private space for Hubby.
- Don't even have the plans finalized yet.
Get the books sorted/stored.
- Shelves all made, just needs good legs for carrying.
Make more closet space.
- Purchased ready-made organizers, but haven't planned yet how they will be used.
Finish all three bathrooms.
- Starting with the attic.
Finish/organize the back room.
Take the porch apart and re-do it permanently.
- Put siding on panels?

Long-Term Plans

I've kind of considered returning to school (for the sixth time) to complete that elusive Bachelor's degree and go on to a Master's. To what effect, though? While I love taking classes, I have no interest in getting a degree only to say that I did. I would want a real purpose behind it. I have given serious thought to becoming a math teacher, which is something I love.

I've also considered going into accounting. I love spending hours with figures, making everything come out right. But it *would* involve considerable learning at a higher level than I have been in the habit of living in, and it isn't as though I need the money.

What else might I do? Travel is out of the question. A certain amount of it is fine, but I'm a home-body. I like my computer, my sewing machine, my hobbies, my kitchen ... etc. Also, my husband and I have very different tastes when it comes to vacations, and I've no interest in going anywhere without him.

Writing! Writing is very appealing. I've always wanted to be a writer, and believe that I'm quite good at it. The problem is that over the last year I have started to put a time commitment into it, and I'm not sure that I am still adaptable enough for it. Nevertheless, I will try it and see where it leads.

And probably I'll return to my hobbies. I miss creating things. Maybe I'll set up an on-line business to sell the results.

Looks like actually I'll probably kind of continue to do as I have: a little bit of everything.

So the next question is: Will I have the health and ambition for it?

So this Journal is devoted to My Future and How to Get It - How I'm going to regain/maintain my Joie de Vivre so that I can have a happy, fulfilling, productive last quarter of my life!